Bob Riley, who three weeks ago completed eight years as Alabama governor, is being encouraged to seek the GOP nomination for president in 2012. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

and Kim Chandler -- The Birmingham News

Bob Riley, who three weeks ago completed eight years as governor, is being encouraged to seek the GOP nomination for president in 2012 and is actively considering the possibility, sources inside and outside Alabama said.

"I don't know right now which way the governor is leaning, but I can tell you he is being encouraged by various people at important levels in the party to seek the nomination," said Mike Hubbard, chairman of the state Republican Party and the new speaker of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Hubbard has said before that he thinks Riley, 66, would be a great president but did not venture beyond that opinion. Now he says that opinion is shared by others in the party who believe that the GOP race for the White House is wide open and that none of the half dozen to 10 names most mentioned as contenders have done much to separate themselves as clear leaders of the pack.

One important opinion leader and player on the national political stage encouraging Riley to run is Joe Scarborough. The former Florida congressman and popular host of the MSNBC program "Morning Joe" said he has talked with and encouraged Riley to get into the race.

"I believe there is a great void in the Republican Party still to be filled," Scarborough said. "I still believe that the eventual Republican nominee and just maybe the next president has not yet declared an interest in running."

Asked why he thinks Riley could stand out in a crowd of candidates vying for the GOP nomination, Scarborough said because he has a record of accomplishments in Alabama.

"Look at what Bob has done in Alabama. He's been able to attract thousands of manufacturing jobs into the state when other states are losing them," Scarborough said. "Automobile, ship building, aviation jobs. Right now across much of this country the issue is job creation, lowering the unemployment rate, putting people to work. Bob has done that and he's done it while keeping taxes low and running a state for eight years without a hint of scandal."

Motorcycle trip

Scarborough, a graduate of the University of Alabama and a longtime friend of Riley's son, Rob, said he knows that Riley is planning a motorcycle trip across the northern tier of states into Canada and on to Alaska.

Asked if that's a good idea when so many other potential candidates are already campaigning in places such as Iowa, Scarborough said: "If this was 2007 when the political calendar was so compressed, when the party front-loaded the primaries, I would have told you he's waited too late. But the calendar is not that compressed in 2012. I think Bob can take his bike ride as long as it ends in Des Moines, Iowa and he begins campaigning."

Scarborough said he knows that some will dismiss a Riley candidacy.

"I'm telling you there is an opportunity for Bob to get into what is a wide-open race and have an impact," Scarborough said. "Lots of things would have to happen, naturally, but I've encouraged him to do it and I hope he will."

Efforts to reach Riley last week were not successful, and he previously has dodged the question of whether he was considering a run for the country's highest office.

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